Aspirating cartridge syringe



July 21, 1959 s. REZNEK 2,

ASPIRATING CARTRIDGE SYRINGE File'd Jan. 4, 1955 z She ets-Sheet 1INVENTOR SOLOMON REZNEK 1959 s. REZNEK 2,895,474

ASPIRATING CARTRIDGE SYRINGE Filed Jan. 4, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 vEENJQQ INVENTOR SOLOMON REZNEK ATTORNEY July 21, 1959 I s. REZNEKASPIRATING CARTRIDGE SYRINGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 4, 1955INVENTOR SOLOMON REZNEK ATTORNEY United States Patent... 6

2,895,474 ASPIRATING CARTRIDGE SYRINGE Solomon". Reznek, A'lbany,*N.Y.,assignor to Cook-Waite Laboratories,alnc. ,.New York,.N.Y., acorporation of Delaware Application'January 4; 1955, Serial No. 479,818aclaims. (onus-21s);

'Ihisinventiom relates to the typeof cartridge syringe which'utilizesadisposable ampoule or cartridge containingi thermaterial to beinjected, and this invention is also directed to the ampoule orcartridge itself. Thepresent invention is directed to novel structure ofthesyringe and also'to1.the= syringe in cooperative combination with anovel plunger or cork for the ampoule or cartridge for providing aconnectionbetween the cartridge plunger and-the pistonrod of the syringeto provide'for an aspiratinggeifect as well as injection.

Ithasbeenfoundthat inmany cases the use of this type .of syringe, thatthe: operator may puncture a vein, and the consequent injection of thelocal anesthetic is at least partially intravenous, resulting inundesirable side reactions and loss of anesthetic efiiciency, so thataspirationpisiofconsiderable importance to locate a desired spot priorto injection.

A- principal object of .the invention resides: in the provision of asyringe usable for injection as conventional with zpriorart types'ofcartridges or ampoules, but which also is provided with means. to gripthe cartridge plunger to move the. latter in. either direction relativeto the cartridge, for aspiration as well. as injection; and theprovisionofaa novel cartridge or ampoule including a plunger havingmeans by which it may be gripped by the piston rod of the novel syringe,said novel cartridge being also usableyin the. usualmanner with priorart syringes.

Another object of this invention resides in the provisiontof a syringeusing a disposable cartridge having a cork:..or plunger made wholly ofrubber or like material and. having .anextending. tip, and includinginter-engaging. means between the piston rod for the syringe and the tipof the rubber plunger of the ampoule or cartridge, whereby the lattermay be positively engaged and retracted by the piston rod for aspirationprior to injection, asv well. as moved in a direction to causeinjection;

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a new andimproved ampoule or cartridge which is very .easily disengagedfrom thespringe piston rod when the injection is finished; and in addition, theinvention provides against the staining by corrosion of the .usual metalinserts of prior art aspirating cartridges, etc. during storage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa view in side elevation of a device according to the present invention,parts being in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on respective lines 3-3 and 44 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the syringe pistondisengaged from the plunger of the cartridge and a modified actuatingstructure;

Fig.- 6 is a section on line 6.6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 he side elevation of'a difierent type of syringe using theinvention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through a difierent type ofsyringe;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section showing a modification, parts beingbroken away;

Fig. 11 is a section on line 1'111 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view in elevation, looking in the direction of arrow 12 inFig. 10, parts being in section;

Figs. 13 and 14 are sectionsshowing stillfurther modifications; and

Fig. l5-is a section on line 1'5-15of Fig. '14.

One syringe used as illustrative of the present invention: includes abarrel 10 whichmay be provided with one or more observation windows oropenings 12; a hypodermic needle 14 for conducting the contents of a disposable ampoule or cartridge 16 in the barrel 10 through a cartridge-endpiercing inner needle 18 located in the tip of the barrel as shown inFig.- l; and a piston rod 20 for exerting pressure uponthe plunger 22 ofthe cartridge to expel the contents thereof through the needle.

The cartridge 16 being providedwith the plunger or cork 22, normally isengaged by the inner end of the piston rod 20 to exert pressure thereonto move the same along in the cartridge to expelthe contents of thecartridge as stated; In the prior art, however, there can be noaspirating by means of theneedle 14, and the only possibleaction is topress the piston rod 20 for instance to theright in Figs. 1 and 2. Thecartridge plunger cannot be withdrawn or moved to the left. Of coursewhen the cartridge has been used, it is thrown away and anothercartridge is placed in the syringe. The terms cartridge and ampoule areused interchangeably in this case.

Loosening of the rotary locking sleeve 24 as in Figs. 1 and 2 in amanner well known in the art to allow pivoting of the hinged head 26,provides for opening the breech endof the barrel 10 for the extractionofa spent cartridge and insertion of a new cartridge without interferencefrom the piston rod 20 orthe hinged head 26. The head 26 may be'providedwith the usual fingerhold 28.

In the present case, the invention provides an integrally molded,distortable rubber-like tip on the cartridge plunger 22, as clearlyshown at 30 in Fig. 2, this rubber tip extending or at least facing tothe exterior of the cartridge 16. Any rubbery material may be used forthe plunger and its tip, and the tip may be plain and smooth as in Fig.5, or serrated or toothed as indicated in Fig. 2.

In addition, for cooperation with this rubber tip 30 there is provided agripping member generally indicated at 32 in Fig. 2, attached to thepiston rod 20 or the like at the inner end thereof as respects thebarrel 19. Member 32 is provided with resilient gripping fingers 34which may be provided with serrations 36 at the interior thereof, thefingers being arranged generally radially (see Fig. 3) and designed tobe radially compressed to be brought toward each other to firmlygripthe-rubber tip The means provided for causing the gripping fingers tomove radially toward each other to grip the rubber tip may take the formof an exterior barrel or sleeve indicated at 38. This barrel may berotatable relative to the gripping fingers and member 32, and ifdesired, may be provided with inter-engaging threads 40 for providing,relative longitudinal motion between gripping fingers 34 and theactuating sleeve 38 in order to cause the fingers 34 to move inwardlyrelative to each other. The exterior surfaces of the gripping fingersextend radially outwardly past the internal diameter of sleeve '38innormal extended condition, and thesleeve 38 acts 3 in the nature of acam to compress the fingers upon the required relative axial motionthereof.

The sleeve 38 may be extended as at 42 and may be knurled at this end asat 44 and it may extend outwardly of the knurled locking sleeve 24 forconvenience in operation (see Fig. 1).

After inserting the certridge 16 in the barrel in the usual manner, thehead 26 is replaced in its operative position axially aligned withbarrel 10. The locking sleeve 24 is then turned up to lock the parts inposition in the usual manner.

The knurled end 44 of sleeve 42 may then be turned relative to pistonrod 20, either the rod or sleeve being held by one hand while the othermember is rotated by the fingers of the other hand, so that with theinner end of the piston rod adjacent the plunger 22, gripping fingers 34will move radially inwardly and firmly grip the rubber tip 30, so thatthe plunger 22 and piston rod 20 will move together in either direction.The act of aspiration then becomes simple and clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art, since merely by withdrawing slightly on piston rod20, as for instance by means of the thumbpiece 46 thereon, blood fromany vein pierced by needle 14 will be withdrawn and the piercing of thevein will then be apparent to the operator.

A modification is shown in Fig. wherein the gripping fingers areillustrated as retracted, and the cartridge plunger 22 is free. Thegripping finger actuator barrel 42 instead of being rotatable within thelocking sleeve 24, is axially slidably keyed thereto as by slot 48 andkey 50, so that the locking sleeve 24 upon being rotated to lock thecartridge in position also rotates the gripper finger actuating sleeve42 relative to the piston rod 26, thus accomplishing two actions, thatof locking the head 26 as usual, and also of causing gripper fingers 34to be moved radially inwardly to firmly engage and grip the rubber tip30.

The key may be provided with a tight fit interiorly of the lockingsleeve 24 and with a loose fit with reference to keyway 48 to providefor axial sliding of the sleeve 42 relative to locking sleeve 24, sothat the sleeve 42 and piston rod 20 may be slid inwardly from the Fig.5 position to the position of Fig. 2, to contact the tip 30, and in theconstruction shown in Fig. 5, this operation is done prior to actuallylocking the head 26 in position by means of the locking sleeve 24.

It will be seen that if the locking sleeve 24 is fairly Well seated, thesyringe piston rod 20 and sleeve actuator 42 may be independently slidaxially to engage or release the plunger 22. In this case, the sleeve 42is held against rotation by the seated sleeve 24, and merely bydigitally rotating the piston 20, the fingers 34 will be actuated togrip or release tip 30.

The piston rod and cartridge tip gripping device may be made forreplacement of the usual piston in the conventional syringe of the classdescribed. With the locking sleeve released and slightly pivoted to makea small angle with the barrel of the syringe, the usual piston isremovable by axially sliding it inwardly through a barrel window, afterremoving the thumbpiece 46 which is threaded in the piston. The newpiston is then applied in a reverse manner.

Referring now to Fig. 7, there is shown a more or less conventional typeof syringe which is different from that shown in Fig. l in that thepiston rod 52, operated by a handle 54, does not pivot in any way withrespect to the cartridge-receiving barrel 56. This barrel is open atleast at one side thereof as indicated at 58 and receives the disposablecartridge or ampoule through this opening. This type of syringe iscommonly referred to as a side loader.

In this case, the barrel 56 has fixed thereto a pair of annular members60 which axially constrain a rotary ring 61 provided with fingerholds64. The rings 60 may be mounted on a ferrule or the like 66 which is 4internally threaded at 68 to receive the locking member 70 externallythreaded as shown and having a thumb piece or the like in annular format 72 for locking the disposable cartridge, as for instance thatindicated at 74, in position in the barrel 56. The locking member 70 maybe adjustably secured in position by well known means and need not beremoved in any way, see particularly Fig. 8.

The syringe piston rod 52 may have a threaded en gagement at 76 withrespect to the operating sleeve 78 which corresponds in general to thatat 42 in Fig. 2. This assembly is slidable within the locking member 70and the piston rod 52 terminates in a series of -compressible fingers 80which are comparable to those at 34. The operating sleeve 78 is providedwith the collet member 82, and upon rotation of piston rod 52 relativeto operating sleeve 78, fingers 80 will be moved inwardly to grasp therubber tip 84, which in this case may be the same as that at 30 in Fig.2. Tip 84 is of course made as a portion of the plunger 86 of thedisposable cartridge 74.

In the operation of this type of syringe, the locking member is backedoff to release the used ampoule or cartridge which is then disposed ofthrough the window 58, whereupon a new cartridge or ampoule is disposedin the barrel 56 and the locking member 70 is then turned up to engageand lock the ampoule or cartridge in the position of Fig. 8. Theassembly of the syringe piston rod 52 and operating sleeve 78 is thenslid inwardly, i.e. to the right in Fig. 8, until the rubber tip 84 isincluded between the fingers 80, whereupon relative rotation of thepiston rod 52 relative to the sleeve 78 causes the fingers 80 to gripthe tip 42 as previously described. It is to be understood, of course,that the syringe of Fig. 7 is provided with the needle tip assembly 88as is customary. V

Fig. 9 illustrates the use of the device with still a further type ofsyringe, wherein a barrel 90, which may be of clear glass or plastictubing, is provided with a screw cap 92 completely removable therefromto allow the insertion of the replaceable cartridge or ampoule 94, thesame having a rubber cork or plunger 96 with a tip, as before described.Also, the barrel is provided with a needle assembly 98 as is customary,and the syringe piston rod 100 is provided in assembled relation withrespect to the removable cap 92 which is preferably made of plastic orthe like. There is also present an operating sleeve 102 which iscomparable to that at 78 and gripping fingers 104 may be utilized in amanner similar to that in Figs. 2 and 8.

The operation of this type of syringe will be readily apparent. The cap92 is completely removed and the spent cartridge or ampoule is taken outof the barrel and thrown away and the new ampoule or cartridge isinserted. The cap 92 is then re-applied and-the piston and sleeveassembly 100 and 102 is slid into place as shown in Fig. 9, whereuponrelative rotation of piston rod 100 and sleeve 102 will result in thethreads indicated at 166 compressing the fingers (as in Fig. 2) to gripthe tip on the cork or cartridge plunger 96.

It is to be understood that the threads 76 and 106 are interchangeableas mechanical expedients, it only being necessary to provide a positivesliding action be tween the syringe piston rod and its operating sleevein order to compress the gripping fingers as described to grip therubber tip and to thereupon carry out the aspiration and injection asdesired.

A modified type of device is shown in Figs. 10, l1 and 12 wherein thereference numeral 108 indicates a barrel receiving the ampoule orcartridge 110 having the plunger 112 with the rubber tip 114. Thisbarrel 108 is operatively connected to a head or the like generallyshown and indicated at 116, this head being comparable mechanically tothat at 66 in Fig; 8 or 26 in Fig. 2, and

provides a housing for a part of the locking sleeve which is indicatedat 118.

The syringe piston rod is indicated at 120 and it is surrounded at leastin part by the operating sleeve 122 which extends forwardly in thecollet member 124 which will cause the finger members 126 to moveradially inwardly to grip the tip 114 when aligned with the same as willbe apparent from the discussion above.

In this case, however, the locking member 118 is provided with aradially serrated forwardly-extending shoulder indicated at 128 andhaving clutching engagement with a similar serrated rearwardly facingshoulder 130 which is on the sleeve 122 inwardly of the collet member124.

In this case, the members meet so that when the locking sleeve 118 isalmost but not quite in its inwardmost locking position, fingers 126will substantially embrace the tip 114. Rotation of sleeve 118 will thencause rotation of operating sleeve 122 relative to piston rod 120 andthe threads on the collet member 124 and fingers 126 will engage tocause a relative axial motion, clamping the fingers 126 on to the tip114, so that rotation of the locking sleeve to locking position of thecartridge, also will cause the piston rod to grip the tip of the plungerof the disposable cartridge.

Fig. 13 shows a still further modification wherein the disposablecartridge is indicated at 130 and the barrel in which it is located isindicated at 132. The barrel head is 134 and the locking sleeve isindicated at 136. The piston rod 138 of the syringe has an operatingsleeve 141%. In this case, the locking head 136 is provided with theshoulder 142 and the inward end of the operating sleeve 140 is providedwith an opposite complementary shoulder 144, so that when the lockingsleeve 136 is moved to the right in Fig. 13, it will also move theoperating sleeve 148, and this action causes the collet member 146 toslide on the smooth outer surfaces of fingers 148 and thus compress thesame to clamp the rubber tip 150. In this case, there may also beprovided detents at 152 and corresponding projections at 154 in order tolightly secure the operating sleeve 140 to the piston rod 138 in orderto provide for the temporary and light securement of these partstogether in order to accomplish the aspirating function, but it is clearthat a deliberate pull on piston rod 138 will release the detent andallow the retraction of the fingers to release the tip 150.

Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate a still further form of the invention but inthis case the difference between the construction of Fig. 14 and theconstruction of Figs. 5 or resides in a circumferential series ofparallel axially arranged corresponding serrations 156, so that thelocking sleeve 158, which may be the same as that at 136 otherwise, willrotate the operating sleeve 160 relative to syringe piston rod 162 asthe locking sleeve is rotated to bring it into locking engagement withthe disposable cartridge or ampoule. Otherwise the construc tion andoperation of the parts is the same as before but it will be appreciatedthat in all of the cases of Figs. 5, 10, 14 and 15, the piston rod forthe syringe and the operating sleeve for the gripping fingers arecapable of relative axial motion, but are relatively non-rotational whenit is desired to lock the cartridge in place and to engage the grippingfingers with the rubber tip of the cartridge plunger.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior applicationSerial No. 442,494 filed July 12, 1954.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, 1 do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A syringe for use with a disposable ampoule cartridge having aplunger and said plunger having an exposed tip extending therefrom, saidsyringe comprising a barrel for receiving the cartridge, a needle and apiston rod associated with the barrel, and means on said piston rod forgripping the cartridge plunger tip for movement of the cartridge plungerwith the piston rod in either direction for both aspiration andinjection, the plunger tip gripping means comprising radially movablegripping fingers on the piston rod at the inner end there of andincluding means for moving said fingers radially inwardly to grip thetip, said fingers being resilient and normally retracted, the means foractuating the gripping fingers comprising a locking sleeve, a secondsleeve ro tatable on the piston rod and non-rotatably associated withthe locking sleeve for rotation by the locking sleeve, andinter-engaging means between said second sleeve and the gripping fingersmoving said fingers radially inwardly upon relative axial motionthereof.

2. A syringe for use with a disposable ampoule cartridge having aplunger and said plunger having an exposed tip extending therefrom, saidsyringe comprising a barrel for receiving the cartridge, a needle and apiston rod associated with the barrel, and means on said piston rod forgripping the cartridge plunger tip for movement of the cartridge plungerwith the piston rod in either direction for both aspiration andinjection, the plunger tip gripping means comprising radially movablegripping fingers on the piston rod at the inner end thereof andincluding means for moving said fingers radially inwardly to grip thetip, said fingers being resilient and normally retracted, the means foractuating the gripping fingers comprising a locking sleeve, a. secondsleeve rotatable on the piston rod and associated with the lockingsleeve for rotation by the locking sleeve, inter-engaging means betweensaid second sleeve and the gripping fingers moving said fingers radiallyinwardly upon relative axial motion thereof, and means to selectivelyengage or disengage the two sleeves for unirotational motion orseparate, relative rotation with respect to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,929,247 Hein Oct. 3, 1933 2,413,303 Folkman Dec. 31, 1946 2,542,814Hoskins Feb. 20', 1951 2,688,966 Huber Sept. 14, 1954 2,693,804 PontiusNov. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 620,824 Great Britain Mar. 30, 1949

